Cap or closure for bottles, jars, cans, or the like.



No. 829,698. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

W. H. DODGE. CAP 0R CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 23 1306.

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UNITED STATES WILLLXM H. DODGE, OF MONTCLAIR, NElV JERSEY.

CAP OR CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, OR THE LIKE.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. DODGE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Montelair, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and useful Cap orClosure for Bottles, Jars, Cans, or the Like, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to caps or closures for bottles, jars, cans, orthe like.

The object of the invention is to provide a cap or closure for bottles,jars, cans, or the like which is simple in construction, economical inmanufacture, and ellicicnt in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap or closure of thecharacter referred to from a single sheet or plate of material in i anexpeditious and economical manner and which may be repeatedly applied toor removed from a bottle, jar, can, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap or closure of thecharacter referred to which is strong and durable and provided with anintegral clamping-flange of contractible and eXpa-nsible diameter andwhich may be contracted and expanded repeatedly for application to andremoval from a bottle, jar, can, or the like.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially, in the constructiomcombination,location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompartying drawings, andfinally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views andreference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is a view in plan of aneccentric-shaped cup or blank indicating the product of the initial stepin the operation of producing a cap or closure embodying the principlesof my invention. Fig.

2 is a similar view showing a crescent-shaped strip removed from the toor base of the eccentric-she ed cup or b ank. Fig. 3 is a view 1n si eelevation of the, construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a planview of a completed cap or closure embodying the principles of myinvention. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is aview in side elevation, partl in longitudinal section, of a can, jar, orthe ike, showing the application thereto of a cap or closure embodvingthe principles of my invention.

Specification of Letters Patent.

vApplication filed April 23, 1906. Serial No. 313,342. i

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever itoccurs throughout the several views.

In the manufacture of caps or closures for bottles, jars, cans, or thelike it is desirable to produce a device which is simple inconstruction, economical in manufacture, and capable of being readily,easily, quickly, and re-' peatedly applied to or removed from' the mouthof a bottle, jar, can, or the like, while at the same time forming anellieient hermetic seal therefor, and which may be reapplied to abottle, jar, can, or the like after having been removed therefrom withthe same or practically the same holding or clamping effect as whenoriginally applied. In attaining these various objects in the presentinstance I propose to avoid employing a plurality of arts and theconsequent necessity for assem ling such parts by hand, and I propose toreduce to a minimum the number of manipulations through which the cap iscarried in the production thereof and to provide means whereby theefl'eetive inc-losing or surrounding diameter of the flange portion ofthe cap or closure is eontra'ctible without reducing the materialstrength thereof.

In carrying out my invention I first form a sheet or plate of suitablematerial, preferably of sheet metal-such, for instance, as tinthough inthis respect I do not desire to be limited or restricted, into aneccentricallyshaped cup or shell,as shown in Fig. 1, having a. top orbase'portion A and a depending flange B formed integrally therewith.From the top or base portion A of the eccentric cup or shelland adjacentthe peripheral edge thereof of greatest eccentricity or diameter I vremove a crescent-shaped strip, (indicated at C,) thereby separatmg theflange B from the base or top A for a portion of the circumferentiallength of the flange, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Throughout the greaterportion of the circumferential length of the separated part of theflange Ileave a portion D of the top or base of the cup or shel attachedto the separated part of the flange, thereby forming a I ,1 ,1 1 Ipractice I form a shoulder or ofl'set E in the peripheral edge of theeccentric cup or shell, and from this point the cutting for the removalof the crescent-shaped strip begins, such cutting continuing for alength substantially equal to the sen1icircun1- ference of the cup orshell; but in this respect I do not desire to be limited or restricted.Instead of continuing the lip D, which is left attached to the separatedp ion of the flange, to the full circumferential length of the separatedportion of the flange said lip terminates, as at F, (see F 2 and 4,)somewhat short of the complete length of the separated part of theflange, leaving the portion G thereof separated from the top or base A,but unprovided with the lip portion D.

From the foregoing descri )tien it will be seen that I provide a cup orshell for a cap or closure in which the top or base and the engagingflange thereof are formed integrally with each other, the flange beingseparated from the to or base for a portion of its cireumferentialength. It will also be seen that by the removal of the crescent-shapedstrip 1 reduce the top or base portion A to circular contour and of lessdiameter or less circumferential length than the diamete orcircumferential length of the flange. It w ill also be seen that byproviding the flange with the portion G without the lip D said portion Gmay be readily folded or bent upon itself to form a loop, therebycontracting the diameter of the flange and drawing the separated portiontnercof into substantially cir cular shape, so that the lip D thereofmay en gage over or lappast the adjacent edge of the top or base,thereby closing the opening produced by the removal of thecrescent-shaped stri T he cap or closure is completed by forming theportion G of the flange into a loop or fold, as indicated at H, which,if desired, may be bent or folded down upon itself and upon the adjacentsurface of the flange, as indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The locationof the portion G of the separated part of the flange is immaterial sofar as my present invention is con cerned so long as it is within thelength of the separated part of the flange. The cap or closure may beapplied to a bottle, jar, can, or the like J in any suitable orconvenient manner. In ractice I propose to employ a sealing-disk placedwithin the bottom of the cap or closure or upon the edge of the mouth ofthe bottle, can, jar, or he like. The edge of the flange B, if desired,may be spun or bent underneath a shoulder L, formed on the mouth or neckof the bottle, jar, can, or the like; but I do not desire my inventionto be limited or restricted in this res ect.

t will be observed that the portion G of the flange which is folded orbent upon itself to form the loop H presents the entire transverse widthof the flange to resist the rupture or breakage during the foldingoperation, and

hence I am enabled to produce an exceedingly strong and durable cap orclosure wherein breakage or rupture due to bending or folding the flangeor to unbending the same is reduced and wherein after a cap or closurehas been applied to a bottle, jar, can, or the like it may be removedtherefrom by simply unbending or unfolding the loop or fold ll, therebyexpanding or increasing the diameter and releasing the clamping effectof the flange, and when it is desired to reapply the cap or closure tothe bottle, jar, can, or the like the fold 11 is again closed and bentupon itself, thereby again contracting the diameter of the flange andrestoring its clamping effect upon the edge or sides of the neck of thebottle, jar, can, or the like, and since the fold is formed throughoutthe entire trans verse width of the flange such unfolding and refoldingoperations are effected without breaking or rupturing the flange.

hen the flange is contracted in diameter to complete the formation ofthe finished product, the shoulder F, formed by the termination of thelip D, engages over the termination of the cut or opening at M producedfor and by the removal of the crescentshaped strip, so as to completelycover such opening, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

I do not claim herein the broad idea of a cap or closure for bottles,jars, cans, or the like formed from a single piece of material andhaving a continuous partiall separated flange provided with acontractifile portion, as the same is claimed in my pending application,Serial No. 285,255, filed October 31, 1905.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and aconstruction embodying the princi les thereof, What I claim as new andusefu and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. A cap or closure for bottles, jars, cans or the like, formed from asingle piece of material and having an integral continuous flangepartially separated for a portion of its circumferential length from thebase or top of the cap or closure, the separated portion of the flangehmr'ng a loop or fold formed therein and throughout the transverse widththereof.

2. A cap or closure for bottles, jars, cans or the like having a top orbase and an integral flange of greater circumferential length than thecircumferential length of the top or base, the flange adapted to be bentor folded upon itself for a portion of its length and throughout thetransverse width thereof to contract the effective circumferentiallength of such flange.

3. A cap or closure for bottles, jars, cans or the like, having a top orbase and an integral flange of greater circumferential length than thatof the top or base, the fin we adapt- I 829,698 8 ion, in the p'rcsencof ed to be bent or folded u on itself for a por- I name to thisspccifica-t s, on th s 18th day of 3 3E 3 i f engthimd lghtwosuhscrihin" witnes'se the gagi F y tlfl 5111015013 to contract- April, AD 1966 v ,i 4 -9 1311110 01 O (3 an' the con I 5 tragtlblc portipn ofthe flange hai1ig a lip to 'i ILLIAM DODGE engage the ad acent edge ofthe top or base. 113;516 BEST In testi mony hereof I have slgncd my S.E. DARBY.

